Geleen, Netherlands

As a Procurement Buyer at Lonza, you will play a crucial role in maintaining operational efficiency by ensuring that materials and services are available at the right time, price, and quality. You will collaborate closely with suppliers and internal stakeholders, balancing commercial decisions with operational requirements in a regulated pharmaceutical environment.

About the Company

At Lonza, our people are our greatest strength. With over 30 sites across five continents, our globally connected teams work together every day to manufacture the medicines of tomorrow. Our core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Excellence, Passion, and Integrity reflect who we are and how we work together. We believe that everyone’s ideas, big or small, have the potential to improve millions of lives, and we want you to be part of that mission.

The Role

In this hands-on position, you will manage supplier relationships, negotiate pricing, and ensure compliance with operational needs. You will also have the opportunity to influence supplier strategy and witness the impact of your negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for suppliers, overseeing relationships, performance, and escalations.
• Lead price negotiations and ensure the execution of global agreements, including annual price updates.
• Monitor and drive supplier performance (OTIF), conducting quarterly reviews and follow-up actions.
• Manage vendor complaints and returns (RMA), including cost recovery and replacement coordination.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Operations, Quality, R&D, Procurement) on supplier onboarding, evaluation, and changes.
• Ensure smooth procurement processes, including invoice follow-up and maintaining accurate data in systems such as Ariba.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives within the Supply Chain and the wider site.

Requirements

• Experience in procurement or supply chain, with a hands-on approach to supplier management and negotiation.
• Strong communication skills and confidence in managing both suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Structured and hands-on, able to balance commercial priorities with operational urgency.
• Analytical mindset, capable of tracking performance (e.g., OTIF) and following up on issues.
• Experience with SAP and/or Ariba is a strong plus.
• MBO or Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, or a related field, ideally combined with NEVI certification.

What We Offer

• Ownership of your own supplier portfolio, including performance, pricing, and escalations.
• Direct impact on cost savings, supplier reliability, and operational continuity.
• Opportunity to influence supplier strategy and see the impact of your negotiations.
• Close collaboration with Operations, Quality, R&D, and Supply Chain.
• A practical environment where you can see the direct impact of your work.

Ready to shape the future of life sciences? Apply now.